Flight 2819
by YoungElite
Summary: Prompt: stuck in an airport because the flights were SO VERY delayed and it's two am AU. One-shot. TW: abuse, self-harm (implied). A flight to Los Angeles is delayed, Percy and Nico are both stuck at the airport until 2 AM. Where will this lead?


**Prompt: stuck in an airport because the flights were SO VERY delayed and it's two am AU**

 **Pairing: Percy/Nico**

 **A/N: I added a bit of angst to this prompt... Trigger Warning: Non-graphic abuse, non-graphic/implied self-harm**

* * *

"We're incredibly sorry for the delay, sir. If you'd just take a seat, I can figure out when the flight will be coming in,"

Percy Jackson sighed in defeat after trying for the millionth time to get something useful out of the flight attendant. It was almost two in the morning and he'd been waiting in the airport for nearly two hours. His eyelids were started to droop and his black hair had fallen flat. Although he wasn't one to get annoyed that easily, he could feel himself started to get irritated. But he told himself to drop it and be patient, so he left the obviously overwhelmed flight attendant alone and went to find an unoccupied seat.

Pulling his suitcase behind him, he sat down in an uncomfortable airport chair and proceeded to take out his phone to keep himself awake. Just as he was doing so, he spotted a boy in the seat opposite him with earphones in. He was wearing all black and he didn't seem to notice anything going on around him. Percy was kind of instantly hooked, and he had no idea why. This boy was the complete opposite of him, with his dark hair and pale skin. His eyes were closed, so Percy didn't know what color they were. The boy's foot was tapping, probably in time to the music he was listening to. Percy felt a ridiculous urge to see this stranger's eyes, so he got up out of his chair.

At first, the younger boy didn't notice Percy sitting beside him, too caught up in whatever music he was immersed in. So, Percy decided to try his luck. He tapped his shoulder once, and instantly regretted it.

The boy flinched so hard, his iPod fell off his lap where it had been resting. He looked at Percy with horror written all over his face, his eyes blown wide in terror.

And what did Percy do? He jumped out of his chair and immediately backed away from the spooked boy.

"I'm _so_ sorry, I have no idea what I was thinking. Jesus Christ, I'm an idiot, I'm sorry... I'll just go now, I guess," He looked at the younger boy's face, which had relaxed considerably. Percy sat down more than a few chairs away from the boy who hadn't yet taken his eyes off him. Percy waited for him to respond to his apology, but he didn't. Until he abruptly sprung out of his seat and rushed away from the waiting area. Okay... Percy was starting to get a little confused. He considered following the boy and making sure he was okay, but he decided against it, not wanting to risk the same reaction. So, Percy sat in his uncomfortable airport chair and waited.

* * *

The boy returned in 15 minutes, looking much more composed. Not that Percy was keeping time or anything. Percy was really surprised, though, when he sat down one chair away from him.

 _Okay, Percy. second chance. Don't make a fool of yourself._

"Um, dude?" _Wow, Percy, great start,_ "Are you okay? You know, I didn't mean to scare you or anything. I just wanted to introduce myself,"

The younger boy glanced up quickly and Percy couldn't help but marvel at his beautiful dark eyes.

And when the boy mumbled a quick, "I'm okay," Percy instantly turned his astonishment to his beautiful voice.

The next time the boy looked up, Percy was smiling widely. And he was pleased when he saw him blush with the corners of his mouth turned up a little.

"I just wasn't expecting it, you know?" The boy's voice had gained a bit of confidence, which kept growing as he talked.

"I'm Nico. I'm heading to LA, but the plane got delayed," Percy smiled at the information and gave Nico his name.

"I'm flying to LA too, going to see my best friend, Grover,"

"I'm going for my cousin, Thalia,"

* * *

Their conversation went on, back and forth for a while. Percy learned a lot about Nico. The music he liked, the movies he's seen, his friendship with his cousin. But Percy couldn't get over a certain image in his head. The image of Nico staring at him in panic. Percy knew he had to ask, he just didn't know how.

Nico was laughing at something Percy had said, and Percy thought it was the greatest sound in the universe. He didn't want it to end, but he thought, now or never.

"Hey, Nico?"

His laughs died down, "yeah?"

"Why'd you get so scared? You know, before..."

Nico's smile had been completely wiped off his face, and he was looking at Percy in desperation.

"It doesn't matter," he said tensely, "none of it matters, I just wasn't expecting it, you know?"

"Okay. It's okay, I was just wondering because I've never seen someone get that worked up... But you'd tell me if you weren't okay, right?"

Nico shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "Just let it go, Percy,"

And Percy frowned because that didn't assure him at all of Nico's well-being.

"Nico...-"

"Just stop it, Percy, you don't know me!" and with that Nico got up and started to walk away. But Percy wasn't having that, not again.

Percy grabbed Nico's wrist and tried to pull him back down to his seat, but Nico just yanked his arm away and cradled it to his chest, his face pinched in pain. He walked away, and Percy let him.

* * *

 _Wait._

 _Pain?_

* * *

This feeling was new. An anxiety that Percy had never experienced. It bloomed in his chest and wouldn't go away. Percy knew he had to find Nico, _now._

The first place he decided to look was the airport bathroom and thank God for that.

Apparently, Nico hadn't been able to get all the way into a stall. Percy opened the bathroom door and Nico was leaning against the wall closest to him, breathing heavily and shaking. His beautiful dark eyes were watering, but he didn't seem to notice. Percy let the door shut quietly and slowly approached him, as if he were a spooked animal.

"Nico?" his head darted up, just noticing Percy's presence, "you okay?" _what a stupid question. Of course he's not okay, Percy, look at him!_

Nico shook his head frantically, his breathing getting worse and tears beginning to slip down his cheeks. And Percy thought, _Fuck it,_ and rushed up to gather Nico into his arms. He felt him flinch as Percy touched his skin and the feeling in Percy's chest amplified. He whispered soothing nothings into Nico's ear and breathed deep, hoping for him to follow his example. And after what felt like hours, Nico's breathing evened out and he lost some of the tension in his body, letting his head fall onto Percy's shoulder. The anxiety was still there, there being a topic that hadn't been breached yet. So Percy steeled himself and let a question slip out of his mouth.

"Nico? Could you... Could you roll up your sleeves for me?" and the tension was back. Nico didn't have it in him to shout anymore, so he settled for glaring and pulling his sleeves down farther. He stepped away from Percy and slid down the wall, hugging his knees to his chest. Percy sat down a few inches away from him, not wanting Nico to run away from him again.

"Could you- I mean, could you at least talk to me? About anything. We don't have to talk about... that," Percy looked at him. He looked so small.

Nico wiped the tears staining his cheeks and shook his head slightly.

Percy sighed. "Well, I can talk, then," he thought of something to say, "the plane's probably coming soon. I wonder what took it so long. Do you- Do you think you'll be okay to get on?" Percy watched Nico for a reaction. After a few seconds, he nodded.

Percy wanted to get a better look at Nico, so he moved slowly to sit in front of him. He was suddenly glad the airport was so empty, as it wouldn't be great if a stranger walked in on them now.

Nico's eyes were staring at nothing, his whole body was still. The feeling in Percy's chest took on a whole new level.

"Nico... Could you tell me- were you scared because of _that?_ " Percy asked, his green eyes straying to look at Nico's fully covered wrists, "like, if you didn't know how I'd react if I saw..." he trailed off when he saw Nico shaking his head vaguely.

"It's-... It's something else,"

Percy's ears perked up when he heard Nico's weak voice. He sounded absolutely _wrecked._

"You don't have to tell me," Percy said quickly, "if you don't want to," Nico shook his head again.

"I- I _want_ to," he said nervously, he didn't sound like he wanted to. Percy waited, but Nico didn't seem like he was going to talk again anytime soon. He hesitated and gently reached out his arm to place his hand on top of Nico's. He could have sworn he saw Nico blush the slightest bit. And so he started talking.

Nico spoke about his family. His sister, and his mother-... and his step-father, Richie. The man that -at first- seemed like a good man, and got married to Maria Di Angelo. He moved in with them and soon started to show what he was really like. It started with just his mother. The man would hit her, but never the children for a long time. Until a few weeks ago, when he hit Bianca, Nico's sister, for the first time. Maria tried to stop it, but he was drunk, and he lost his temper. He pushed Maria aside a bit too roughly, and her head hit the floor hard. And the mother of the two teenagers died, as the youngest of the two yelled and covered his ears up in his room. So Richie went after him. Bianca, the devoted sister, went to stop him. She inevitably met the same fate as her mother. But, not before rendering Richie unconscious, saving her little brother.

* * *

Percy was speechless. And outraged.

"That...- That son of a bitch! I'll- If I could, right now- I'd kill him!" Percy got up and started pacing the length of the bathroom, muttering to himself. How could a man be that horrible to an entire family? How could he do that to a woman and children? How could he... to someone as special as Nico?

"Percy?"

He immediately sat down beside Nico again and pulled him into a much needed hug. Then he pulled away and looked at Nico seriously.

"Is this why-..." he glanced pointedly at his arms.

Nico bit his lip, and slowly nodded without meeting Percy's eyes. Percy grabbed him into a hug and squeezed, whispering, "I'll help you, Nico. If you let me,"

"I- but, you hardly even _know_ me," Percy hesitated.

"That may be true," he said, "but I know you need me," he felt Nico burrow his head into his shoulder for a bit before looking up to his eyes. Just two boys on an airport bathroom floor, looking in each other's eyes and blushing. How _cheesy_ did that sound? But Percy was all for it. Why? Because Nico needed him to be. And when their lips met for the first time, there was hardly a feeling to describe it.

 _"We apologize for the delay, Flight 2819 will taking off shortly..."_

 **A/N: Leave a review telling me what you think! It'd really mean a lot. Thanks for reading!**


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